Ka ‘Orman e’ Lir Demef

© 2019 by Walter Reimer



Thumbnail art by  rabbi-tom



TRANSLATION (90% certainty)
Imperial Civil Communications Network
Classification: Y-2
FROM: Varan g’Raf
TO: Meredith d’Estcourt

[Dearest], I was very pleased to hear that two of your crewmembers have gotten married. Please extend my congratulations to them.

[Regarding] your question about marriage here, we don’t ordinarily do religious weddings any more. Secular registrations are more normal. Are you [asking] just for [information/input], or is there a [deeper] reason? I would be [tremendously] honored, but you do understand the [obstacles].

[context unavailable]

I was pleased to see that you are [making?] new friends. Fuji looks just a bit like a [male] and you two look like you’re enjoying each other. What is the [background]? An [amusement/entertainment] center?

The latest game [module] looks odd. The game map is almost blank, so we will have to be careful. I have [scouted/reconnoitered/examined] one region called the Land of Contusion.

Love you
Varan

Transmission Ends.


***


Fujiwara Castro had been staring up at the ceiling when he suddenly blinked, hearing running water in the next room, and looked around in bewilderment for a moment. His tongue flicked out, tasting the air, and he rolled his eyes.

It had happened again, apparently. He wondered if he’d told Meredith about it before they’d gotten the room, and decided that he had. Security and medical techs weren’t in the room, and surely the palomino mare wouldn’t be taking a shower if he hadn’t told her. He’d never seen Meredith in a panic until the incident with those four Naval officers.

He had decided that he didn’t want to see it again.

The Komodo monitor slowly maneuvered on the bed until he could put his feet on the floor before slowly sitting up. Yes, it had happened; his head felt like it was full of bees. He glanced at the nearest chronometer and estimated that he’d been unconscious for maybe a half-hour. That was good.

He got to his feet and walked over to the bathroom, sliding the door open and hearing her humming and singing softly. He caught a few Kashlanin words. “Merry?”

“Fuji!” the mare said over the sound of the water. He could see her silhouette as she turned to face him. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m awake now.” He paused. “I didn’t frighten you, did I?”

“No, you told me that sometimes you pass out afterwards.” She chuckled softly. “You know, if you hadn’t told me, I might have thought that you were just trying to get out of talking after sex.”

The monitor laughed. “You should been there the first time I had sex. I woke up in the hospital.” He flicked his tongue. “Looks like there’s enough room in there for me.”

“Come on in,” and the mare stepped back as Fuji opened the door. He took a second to admire her figure before stepping in and sighing when the stream of hot water hit his skin. “Feels good,huh?”

“Yes, it does.” He got a pawful of soap from the dispenser and started to lather up. “How much more time do we have the room?” She turned her back to him, looking over her shoulder, and he got the hint quickly. He started lathering her back as he repeated the question.

“Until tomorrow morning,” Meredith replied, giving a soft pleased sound as he scrubbed his short, blunt claws down her back. “That feels so good, Fuji.” Her sodden tail swished as he scrubbed lower, and she gave a soft, almost feral nicker as the monitor started soaping up her tail. “So good . . .”

He leaned up against her back, whispering in her ear, “Thank you. My turn?”

“Sure!” He turned away as she got some soap, and he ducked his head into the stream of water and sighed as she washed his back.

“Did I hear you singing earlier?”

The mare paused, his tail in her paws. “Yeah.”

He glanced back at her. “Was it Kashlanin? I thought I heard a few words.”

“It is,” Meredith said, nodding. “It’s called The Song of My Beloved. I really can’t sing the tune too well – don’t have the throat for it.”

“No Terran does, I imagine. Did Varan teach it to you?”

Meredith nodded. She moved back slightly and closed her eyes as her tail twitched to a rhythm only she could hear before singing:

“My love has a name,
Composed of passion;
Imbued with my heart’s ardor,
I take my love into my arms
And I call out to my beloved.”

She opened her eyes and he said, “That’s beautiful. Is that all to it?”

“No, there’s a lot of other verses. The song describes the beloved’s eyes, fur, hands, tail, um, and how well they twine tails.”

“’Twine tails?’” the monitor asked.

“Having sex,” Meredith said, and Fuji smiled.

Both began to notice that the steam in the shower was mingling with their musks. Fuji reached for the palomino mare a scant moment before Meredith reached for the Komodo monitor.

Afterward, they had to bathe all over again.